


The Death of a Jokester

by jennaarebee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Supernatural
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 05:24:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6316300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennaarebee/pseuds/jennaarebee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fred is left with a choice, presented by Death, after he dies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Death of a Jokester

The coffee shop was dimly lit and completely empty. This certainly wasn't how Fred had ever expected it would happen, and he wasn't sure how he had gotten there in the first place, but he somehow knew what was coming. It was an innate feeling that he couldn't shake.

A man in a suit walked through the door; he looked quite frail though it was obvious he had an extreme, inexplicable power to him. There was something else different about him, something that caused Fred to be a little on edge, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He walked leisurely through the coffee shop as if he owned it and sat down at the table opposite Fred before speaking. "Hello Fred, I'm Death." The man's voice seemed bigger than his body, but still soft so only the two of them could hear it. "You may have heard of me once or twice." He then steepled his fingers in front of him smugly, his elbows resting on the small table.

"I'm actually George," Fred joked, his usual response when someone is so sure of his identity.

"Don't toy with me, boy. I know who you are. There is no way to trick me like that," he replied. His eyebrows had furrowed as he talked and he was quite obviously verging on annoyance "Anyway, on with the conversation. You're here because you have a very important decision to make: stay here on this godforsaken planet as a ghost, clinging to materialistic objects, or move on to heaven."

Fred was caught slightly off guard by the decision for a couple reasons: 1. He hadn't exactly known he was dead yet. He had had a feeling he was-- it's hard not to get a hint at that when one moment you were bleeding out behind a suit of armour and the next you were in a cafe-- but that question sealed the deal; and 2. He didn't think he had been good enough in his life to deserve heaven. It's not that he thought he had been a bad person, he just hadn't been that great of a person either. He thought for a moment, then said, "Can I ask you a question first?"

Death rolled his eyes, expecting the usual _What's heaven like?_ question, and reluctantly agreed. "What do you remember?"

Death took a deep breath, ready to launch into an explanation of why he can't say for sure, et cetera, et cetera, but the question sunk in and he let the breath out. "What could you possibly mean by that?"

"Well, you're Death so you must have seen some interesting things. What do you remember?" Fred repeated.

"I remember way too much for your mind to comprehend." Death sits back as he speaks, becoming impatient.

"Then, as a dying man's last wish, tell me a story." Fred had always been fond of stories, ever since he was a kid, and he wanted to get George off his mind.

"You're already dead," he pointed out, hoping it would deter him, but Fred stayed unwavering and expectant. "Fine. One story, then you decide." Fred grinned from ear to ear and settled down in his chair.

"You may know this one from a different point of view." He paused for a moment before continuing the story. "It was Halloween night, many years ago. I went to Godric's Hollow to collect a young couple who had an infant, barely three months old, who survived them. They chose to pass up on the offer to go to heaven and stayed here to watch over their son, who is now nearly 18. They were both very bright and did not deserve to die, but that's me I suppose. I don't always come when it is deserved." The realisation of who Death was talking about caused Fred's eyes to well up with tears. "It's time for you to decide now, Fred," Death continued solemnly.

Fred nodded. "I choose to stay here with George."


End file.
